This week, it’s been reported that an unspecified Russian online casino was closed in a police action of the Interior Ministry “K” agency. On that occasion, the police seized computer equipment and 27 millions rubles in cash, which is around 1 million dollars. Since the authorities haven’t revealed any information, many gambling sites started guessing what really happened. The rumors are that it’s about a big and famous gambling operator in Russia. Still, any information about the operator hasn’t been confirmed yet.

However, up until now, facts are that Larisa Zhukova, a Russian Ministry of the Interior spokesperson, said that the police action had a goal to strike at a big online casino which earns around 200 000 rubles a day (around $7000), on more than 470 online games. The names of the arrested persons remain unknown, but she told the press that the police brought in the 33-year-old owner of the place, and five of his employees. Under the Article 171 of the criminal code, for an illegal business, they could get the sentences up to five years.

She also acknowledged that in over ten years this casino has made an illegal profit of hundreds of millions of dollars. She added that the transactions, including money laundering, were conducted through foreign banks and that those transactions were untraceable. They used, as well, online casino technology from an unknown company outside Russia. She concluded that the money was most probably used as investments in companies overseas.…

According to reliable sources from the South African government, the government has finally received the much-delayed review of gambling in the country, which also includes online gambling, so it can now move on to consideration of the recommendations.

Many have been hopeful that this review will help clarify the government’s true position on internet gambling, which is currently quite restrictive, since the SA Gambling Board proclaimed it illegal following a High Court decision that went against the Swaziland-based Casino Enterprises.

The Gambling Review Commission, chaired Ms Astrid Ludin supported Ms Adheera Bodasing, Professor Siphiwe Nzimande, Mr Clement Mannya and Dr Stephen Louw, initially broke the end-August deadline, requiring more time to collect and present the findings. The Commission was supposed to look into all aspects of South African gambling, including its social impact, and covering the sector of casinos, online gambling and horse racing.…